more gifts

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 (7:49 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You. You gave us more gifts the other day. Unexpected. Surprising. Memorable.

How I thank You Father for the ways You encourage us. The things You show us. How we are given opportunities to choose to see positives where others might see negatives.

Father You have been working long and hard in showing me other ways of experiencing all that goes on around me. I can so easily get trapped in the ruts of the past. The familiar ways of arguing. Energy zapping old patterns.

Thank You for the privilege of enjoying momentary little things instead. An impromptu overnight visit with youngsters. Chalk “graffiti” artists. Mini tree trimming. Sweeping. Tidying up. All in preparation of total “Blood Wolf Moon” eclipse watching.

Thank You Father. There was interest. Excitement. A flawless view. Two new sleeping bags. Even the abrupt conclusion to it all was perfectly timed. Complete cloud coverage at the end of our late night movie.

Simple pleasures. Willing, enjoyable attitudes. Gifts. Yes Father. Gifts of obedience. Love. Choices.

Holy God, I love You.

Just as our focus turned so intently toward the sky the other night I now delight in sharing with You these words from James (1:17). “Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from Him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same” (Easy-to-Read Version).

You don’t change. Your love doesn’t change. You stay the same. And we get to stand firm on Your Truth. The hope we find in adjusting our attitudes to Your will and Your way.

And just when I thought I was done here for now, I read the following verse in The Living Bible and got even more excited. “And it was a happy day for Him when He gave us our new lives through the Truth of His Word, and we became, as it were, the first children in His new family” (v. 18). Thank You Father. Yes, thank You.

I love You. I need You. I thank You. And I ask You to use me this day exactly as You know is best. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(321 words ~ 8:49 a.m.)